Can feeder



Jan. 17, 1933. J, T, TUCKER 1,894,547

C AN FEEDER Filed Aug." 8, v19:51

- '22 /5 a@ iC @30%0:

Patented dan. 17, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT loi-FICE JOHN T. TUCKER, 01? BERKELEY, CALIFORNIL'ASSIGNOR T0 MARCUS LOTHROP, 0F

. BERKELEY, CALIFQRNIA can FEEDER Aapplication ined august s, 1931. seriai no. 556,019.

My invention relates to mechanisms prilmarily for use in canneries and 'is especially concerned with-devices for handling a p lu- 4rality o'f cans either empty or containing products 'such as fruit, which are destined for treatment :n a mechanism such as an ex-y haust boX, although the can feedei` of my invention is adapted for use in otliei' environments as well.

In order to increase the speed of operation iii a Cannery and to increase the facility of handling the cans, I have found that it is often desirable to divert cans from a single yhigh speed line of yadvancement into/a plurality of Ilines of advancement operating at a An object of my means for diverting-a vancing at a relatively rality of rows of cans tively low speed.

Another object of my invention is to provide asatisfactory means forv handling open cans of products without spilling or ischarging unnecessarily the products from the single row of cans adhigh speed into a pluadvancing .at a .relacan. An additional object of my invention is to provide means foi` handling the cans expeditiously.l V

Other objects as well as the foregoing are attained in the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, in Whic Figure 1 is a plan showing the can feeder ggf my invention particularly as it is used in conjunction with an exhaust box.

Figure 2 is a cross sectionhfon of Figure 1.

Figure 3 isa plan of a modifiedv form ofv the can feeder of my invention.

" invention comprises means branching into a plurality Fi re 41s a cross section on of Figure 3.

In its preferred form,

the line 4-4 the can feeder of my defining a channel of suitably defined paths adapted for the advancement of cans herein and combined with means situated at the junction of the channel and the paths for diverting successive ones of the cans in a redetermined manner to the selected ones of the' paths.

Ain turn is divided` invention is tol provide or directed as the iine a--a As shown in Figuresl and 2, the can feeder of my invention is particularly useful in conjunction with an exhaust box G which is prov vided with a plurality of inletsP i', In order to lead the cans to the exhaust box, thei'e provded a channel 13 defined by a pair of walls 14 and 16, respectively,within which a plurality of eans 17 are adapted to be advanced by a conveyor 18 of any suitable kind, iii the present instance a belt conveyor being disclosed. vThe channel 13 merges with or branches into a plurality of paths 19 and 21, respectively, definedv or bounded by abutments 22. 23 and 24, respectively. The path 19 into a pair of ducts 26 and 27 while the path 21 is `divided into duets 2S and 29 extending to the inlets 11 and 12, respectively. The cans are adapted to be advanced in the paths 19 and 21 nieans,'si ieh as a belt conveyor In order that the succession of cans 1T advancing in the channel 13 may be distributed desired into the paths 19 21, I preferably situate at the junction of the channel 13 and of the paths 19 and 21, a pair of guides 32 and 33 respectively, each of which is pivoted as at 34 adjacent the extremity of the associated one of the walls 14 and 16. The guides 32 and 33 are joined together by an arched link 36 and are adapted to move in lunison between the dotted line ositions shown in Figure 1 and in one o which the `g with the pair of abutments 22 and 23, and in the other of which the guides 32 and 33 are in registry with the pair of abutments 23 and njacent their extreme positions but move more uides 32.V and 33 are in registry by any suitable and rapidly intermediate the extreme positions and serve to block communication between the paths 19 and 21 and the channel 13 in 1 o a predetermined fashion.

, cation of my again rotate or Although it is not necessary-in every instance, I prefer to mount at the extremity of the abutment 23 a pivoted blade 46 which is relatively thin at its leading edge and thick at its trailing edge. The dimensions of the paths 19 and 21 and the thickness of the plate A variation of this scheme is employed in conjunction with the ducts 26l and 27 inasmuch asa plate 48 is therein provided and is pivoted as at 49 and acts in a similar fashion, that is, each can 17 as it passes through the duct 27 for instance deflects the plate 48 so that the succeeding can is deflected into the duct 26. In exactly the same Way a plate 51 is pivoted as at 52 intermediate the ducts 28 and 29 and dividesA the cans entering the path 21 and destined for the inlets 11 and 12.

In Figures 3 and 4 I have shown a modifiinvention in which the channel 61 is defined by Walls 62 and 63 which in this instance merge with abutnients 64 and 66 defining the outer extremities of the paths 67 and 68, the inner extremities of which are defined by a 4pair of abutments 69 and 71. The cams 72 are advanced in the channel 61 by a suitable conveyor 73 and at the junction of the channel 61 with the paths 67 and 68 are suitably directed or deflected by means.

of a blade 74 pivoted as at 76 and adapted to be osc-illated With a simple harmonic motion by virtue of the attachment of an arm 77 at one end pivoted as at 78 to the plate 74 and at the other end connected to a pin 79 mounted on a rotating disc 81. This mechanism likewise produces motion of the plate 74 such that at each extreme position the plate moves relatively slowly While in thecentral portion of its path the plate moves relatively fast.

In both forms of the can feeder of my in- Vention there is provided a mechanism for distributing a succession -of cans tothe predetermined one's of paths in such a fashion that the cans are not only evenly distributed butl are advanced at a rate less rapid than the rate of advance of the ca'ns arriving for distribution.

It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the form of the can feeder shown and described herein, as the invention, as set forth in the following claims may be embodied in a plurality of forms.V

I claim: 1. A can feeder comprising a pair of Walls a plurality of selected" underlying said `channel and said paths for propelling articles from said channel vto said paths, a pair of parallel guides each pivoted at one end to the extremity of 'one o fsaid Walls, a link pivoted to both of said guides, and means'conn'ected to said link for moving said guides so thatthe-ir free ends register alternately with said abutments.

2. A can feeder defining a channel,

a pluralityy of abutments defining a. plurality of paths. afconveyor nderlying said channel and said paths for pro.- pelling articles from said channel to said paths, a pair of guilde plates eachpivoted at its leading edge 'inthe plane ofone yof said walls, a vlink pivoted'to both of said guidesL and holding them inparallelism. and means for niovingsaid link so that the trailing edges of said guides register alternately With said abutments.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand;

JOHN T. TUCKER.

defining a channel, a plurality of abutments defining a pluralityv of paths, a conveyor comprising a pair of Walls. 

